Here’s a picture I took for my new book ‘BIG SHED’ which has just been published by Thames & Hudson. I was interested in the way large-volume structures have changed the character of contemporary architecture and so set out to write and photograph a book about the phenomenon.
The story of this building was interesting in that it was designed as an airship hangar in which to manufacture a new breed of blimp, which would carry cargo around the world. Unfortunately just after the hangar was completed the company went bust and it was sold to a Malaysian entrepreneur who has turned it into a ‘tropical paradise’. It’s full of German holiday-makers, tropical plants and taped bird-song. It’s also about 78 degrees and extremely humid. It took a while for my kit to adjust to the temperature and stop fogging-up.
After a night spent sleeping on a deckchair on the ‘beach’ I took this shot on a Wista 5’4’ on fuji provia, (‘though I’m solidly digital now). The idea of a holiday-in-a-bubble is much older than Centreparks. The architectural group Archigram had envisaged this in the 1960’s and now it’s come true – gloriously or horribly depending upon your point of view.
Will studied Architecture at Cambridge and the RCA, worked as an architect and then studied photojournalism at the LCC (LCP as was) under Patrick Sutherland. While a student he came second in the Observer Hodge Award in 2000, and second in the Sunday Times Ian Parry the following year. Since then he has worked extensively for both editorial and commercial clients shooting reportage and architecture.
His first book – ‘Brick; a world history’ – was published by Thames & Hudson in 2003. Two years later a second book ‘Architecture in Wood’ was published by Thames & Hudson in the UK and Rizzoli in the States. ‘BIG SHED’ is just out now, and Will has more books planned…..
Photographer since 2000, EPUK member since 2006.
See more work by Will Pryce
